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Far-right leader challenges public office ban in court
Marine Le Pen's appeal against a five-year prohibition from seeking elected office opened in Paris on Tuesday, a ruling that could bar her from France's 2027 presidential race.
Background: EU funds misuse conviction
Last year, a French court found Le Pen, 57, guilty of misappropriating €2.9 million in European Parliament funds. The case alleged she and over 20 senior National Rally (RN) figures employed parliamentary assistants who primarily worked on party matters rather than EU duties.
Presiding judge Bénédicte de Perthuis stated Le Pen was central to the scheme. The court sentenced her to four years in prison-two suspended and two under electronic monitoring-alongside a €100,000 fine. The immediate enforcement of her five-year office ban was a key point of contention.
Political stakes and party strategy
RN president Jordan Bardella framed the ban as a threat to democracy, telling reporters on Monday that preventing Le Pen from running would undermine voter choice. Le Pen has twice reached the presidential runoff and is currently viewed as a frontrunner for 2027.
Bardella, meanwhile, announced he would not seek the presidency but would instead pursue the prime minister's role, signaling a division of labor within the party.
Appeal timeline and possible outcomes
The Paris Court of Appeal will hear arguments until 12 February, though a verdict is not expected before summer. Four scenarios could unfold:
- A full acquittal, clearing Le Pen's path to the 2027 election;
- Upholding the conviction but suspending the ban's immediate effect, allowing her to run while appealing to the Court of Cassation;
- A shortened ban, enabling her to register by the March 2027 deadline;
- Affirming the original ruling, effectively blocking her candidacy unless overturned by France's highest court.
Eleven RN figures are appealing alongside Le Pen, while 12, including her sister Yann Le Pen-sentenced to a one-year suspended term-have accepted their verdicts.
Broader implications for RN
The party was fined €2 million (half suspended) in last year's trial, adding financial strain to its legal challenges. Analysts note the case could shape RN's electoral momentum ahead of the April 2027 vote, with timing and substance of the appeals court's decision critical.
"It would be deeply worrying for democracy if the justice system were to deprive the French people of a presidential candidate already qualified twice for the second round,"
Jordan Bardella, RN president
